Improved washing-machine



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HENRY HELM. Ol*1 PTTTSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 73,601, dated January 21, 1868.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

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TO-ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, HENRY HELM, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and improved Washing-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and 4exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of constructing washing-machines, whereby the same are more convenient, and clothes are more thoroughly and quickly washed.

It consists of a rectangular tub divided into threeparts, within which rotates, vibrates, or rocks a cylindrical washer or presser, working upon rollers, which are held against said washer by elastic bands attached to an elastic ring on the movable bearings of said rollers; und it consists in having a seat, in combination with the tub on which the operator sits while at work; and it-consists, also, in said washer being driven by two treadles, so that the same may be operated by feet, the operator sitting upon a scat provided for that purpose. In the accompanying plate of drawingsv Figure 1 is a plan view of myinvention.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinalvcrtical section of the same, taken in the line .fr x, iig. 1.

Similar letters ofrefcrcnce indicate corresponding parts.

T is the tub. lare legs supporting same. W is a rotating, vibrating` or rocking washer or presser. H are rollers. r are wheels or movable bearings on the journal of rollers H, in which seidirollers H turn. e are elastic bands in grooves in bearings 1'. a are elastic bands attached to bands e and c. e are elastic bands in grooves on wheels upon the journal of the shaft D. w are wheels, by means of which motion is communicated to washer W. B is a soaking-box. S' is a shelf on box B. C is a lid on box B. n are uprights or partitions dividing tub T into three parts. S is a seat.. b are arms-or supports of seat S. g are pivots, on which arms b turn. t are treadles. C are connecting-rods, connecting` treadles i to wheels w. p are pivots connecting treadle t to rods C. p are crank-pins in wheels w. a2 are pivots in two ofV the legs Z, on which treadle t turns.

' The tub T is a rectangular box, supported hy suitable legs, l, the bottom of the same being made lowest in the middle, as shown in the drawing. The tub T is divided into three water-tight compartments by the partitions u, as shown in the drawing, so as that cold water and hot water may always be kept ready for use, and separate from the suds contained between the partitions u, one of said parts being covered with the top or shelf S and lid C', forming the box B, which is a soaking-box for boiling water or snds, and in which the clothing to be washed is contained and soaked.

Between the two sides ofthe tub T, rotating or vibrating in suitable bearings in said sides, and also between said partitions, u, and parallel to thc same, is the washer W; Said washer W consists of a suitable shaft, D, extending beyond the sides of the tub T, to receive the wheels w, and upon said shaft D are two or more circular disks, rigidly attached to the same, Vand upon the circumference of said disks, and all around the same, are rigidly secured any convenient number of strips, f, at. equal distances apart, extending across, in a line parallel with the shaft D; so as to form a cylindrical ridged washer, W, hollow at the inside, I, so as to allow the water to have access to the upper aswell as lower side of the clothes while being washed. Said washer W is of suicient length to reach nearly across on the inside of the tub T, as shown in the drawing. Upon the shaft D, and between thc ends of the washer W and the sides of the tub T, one upon cach end, and so as that the shaft D will turn in them without the disks turning themselves, are two wheels or circular disks, provided on their circumference with a groove. In said grooves are elastic bands e. Upon the under side ofthe washer W', and -in a line parallel with same, are four or more rollers H, of nearly equal length with the washer W, so arranged as to conform to the under side of said washer W, as shown. Said rollers H are provided with jour`a nuls at cach end, upon which said journals are the wheels or circular disks 1', through a hole in which said disks r said journals extend, and in which the rollers H turn, so as that the disks r themselves do not turn. The sides of the tub T are provided with grooves on the inside, to receive the end of the spindle of the rollers H, so that said rollers may be kept in position, and to allow the same to move from and towards the centre of the shaft D ci' Washer W. Upon the circumference of said disks r are grooves, in which are thc elastic bands e. To said elastic bands c are attached, at o ne end, the elastic bands c, which said bands a are also attached, at

the other end, to the elastic ban'd e', so as that the rollers H are held, by said bands a, against the washer W,

and so, also, that, by the stretching of said bands a' and said bands e ande', clothing may be received between the washerA W and the rollers H, and held by said rollers H against the washer W.

The washer W may be modiiied'in form. It may consist of a hollow cylinder, perforated with holes-or of disks, having the stripsjl ofany shape, or it may consist of a cylinder, plain' or tinted, so as to press and roel( the clothing, as above described. 1

Upon each end of the shaft D, and upon the outside of the tubIT,-are the wheels w, in the side ot' each of which said wheels w, and near'the edge of the same, so as to he at right angles to-eacli other, are suitable crankpins, p. Upon the feet of two of the legs Z, on one end ofthe tub T, and pivoted to each of said legs l, are the treadles t. Pivoted to said treadles t, and so as to connect the 'same with the crank-pins p,-are the connectingrods G, in the ordinary way of making connections, whereby a reciprocating vertical motion is vchanged to a vibrating or rocking motion', so as, by means of the treadles t, and connecting-rods C, and wheels w, a continuous rotary, vibrating, or rocking motion is given to the washer W. i

To each of the sides of the tub T is pivoted an arm or support, b, by the pivot g. Upon said supports b, which are bent of proper form to receive the same, and extending from one support to the other, is the seat S, so arranged that, when `in use, said seat S will rest against the legs-Z, as shown, or the same may be turned over upon the machine, or be taken away altogether. In the palrt of the tub T, marked with an asterisk in the drawing, hot water may be contained in such a way as to be readily admitted to the washervW. The lid Cmay be secured to the shelf` S' by hinges, or in other convenient manner,

The operation is such that, the clothes having been thoroughly soaked in the water in the box B, the lid C' may be raised oriremoved, and one or i they are illed with soap, the operator at thcsame time giving motion to the washer W by the' treadlcs t, one of said treadles t moving up when the other of said treadles t moves down. Said clothes are then carried between4 the washer W` andthe rollers H, where they are thoroughly soaked and washed, by being pressed, by the rollers H, against the washer W.'

Constructed as above shown and described, it constitutes a cheap and convenient washing-machine, which may be operatedby the foot, leaving the hands free to feed the machine, and ll the clothing with soap. It may be'constructed of wood, or wood and metal combined. y v

The lid C may be secured to thepart S', by hinges, or .other convenient Way, and, with the part S, formsA a shelf, on which the clothing is filled with soap preparatory to being washed.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The elastic rings e, upon the grooved wheels r of the rollers H, attached, by the elastic strips a, to the central elastic ring e upon-the shaft D, all constructed and operating as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of 'the rollers H, suspended fromthe shaft D, by the elastic bands and rings, grooved rollers 7', washer W, strips f, box T, divided into three compartments by the vertical partitions u, crank-wheel W, rods C, treadle t, and pivoted vseat S, as herein described, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the elastic rings e c', and elastic strips a, with the rollers H, shaft D, and 'vibrating washer W, as herein describcd,-for the purpose specified. v

' HENRY HELM.`

Witnesses:

JNO. JQSAMPLE, DAvro W. REID.

more pieces taken from said box B, and laid upon the shelf ST, Where 

